On Thursday the NFL released its schedule for the 2020 season. The league is hoping everything will go smoothly and that the global pandemic will have run its course come September. Even if difficulties arise, the plans are to play rescheduled games after Week 16.

The 49ers schedule is rated the fourth hardest, as the NFC Champs look to return to the Super Bowl with much of the same roster. While losing Buckner and Sanders in the off-season hurts overall, the draft acquisitions will help bolster a competitive roster looking at a pretty manageable schedule.

The season starts off at home in Levi Stadium with a game vs the Cardinals. A two week trip to the east coast to face off against the New York teams awaits with dates against the Eagles, Dolphins, and Rams at home upon returning for Weeks 4, 5, and 6. Difficult road games await, with San Francisco playing at New England and Seattle the following weeks. Games against Green Bay and the New Orleans Saints will be difficult before the Week 11 Bye week. After the Bye, the 49ers play at the LA Rams in the new So-Fi stadium in Inglewood. Trap games with Buffalo, Washington, and the rival Dallas Cowboys will be tough to call. A pair of NFC West matches close out the regular season against the Cardinals in Arizona and at home in Santa Clara against the rival Seattle Seahawks for the final week of NFL play.

For this season I think the San Francisco 49ers will return to the playoffs as NFC West Champions with a 12-4 record.